Separable attachment-plug.



I No. 884,981. PATENTED APR. 14, 1908;

0. E. KENNEY. SEPARABLB ATTACHMENT PLUG.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-16, 1906.

WITNESSES: INVENTOW,

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

OWEN E. KENNEY, or TOLEDO,VOVHI-O, ASSIGNOR TO THE, YOST ntno'rnro MADLIUFACT'URING COMPANY, or TOLEDO, QHIO, A CORPORATION OF orno.

snmu'mnm ATTACHMENT-PLUG.

To all. whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OWEN E. KENNEY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident-of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful improvements inseparable Attachment- Plugs; and I do hereby declare the following to he a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable. others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference .being bad to the accompanying drawin and. to the figures of reference marked'tiereon, which form a part of this specification.

' My invention relates to separable attachment-plugs 1 adapted for use in making a quick and effective connection between .inov- .able electric appliances such as lights, fans,

motors, heating apparatus, surgical instru-" ments, or the like, and fixtures disposed in an electric circuit; and it' has for its object the provision of an improved attachment-plug of .this class which is of efficient, economical and simple construction, and had its separa- 'ble parts so interlocked as to perm t an easy and quick separation or connection thereof.

. To these ends my invention consists of'certain novel features of construction, combination and arran ement of the parts, which are hereinafter fulfi described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fi ure 1 is a central vertical section of an attac merit-plug comprising the features of my invention, the same be1n taken on the line ia Fi .2. Fig. 2 is a plan-view of the, innerside o the cap with the base removed.- Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the cap taken'on the line inFigp'Z, and Fig. 4 is aplan view of the inner end of the base with the cap removed and a portion of one of the spring contact arms broken away.- Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the base of the plug which is made of porcelain, fiber or other suitable insulating material and formed on its inner face with a cavity 2 and on its outer face or end with acentral integral stem 3 of like material, which bases and stem are prov'idedwith a central hole 4 extending entirely therethrough and adapted for the insertion of a contact post or screw 5.

. Within the cavity 20f the base are formed the two radially disposed longitudinallyalinin grooves 6 and 7, the former of which is the onger and has its inner end extending Specification of Letters Patent. 7 Application filed March 1c, 1906. Serial in. 306,862.

Patented April 14, 1908.

across the liole 4 of the base. Mounted with in these grooves are the two U-shaped contact-terminals 8 and 9, which are secured in relatively fixed positions by the screws 10 and 11, respectively, which pass throu h a erturcs in the base 1 and have theii'fiiea s disposed in the sockets 12 and'l proa idd in the sides of the stems 3 for thei reception; These sockets are formed by the provision of semi-circular grooves in the opposite sides of the stem 3, the outer or open sides of which are closed by a metallic screw-shell or sleeve 14, which'encircles the stem 3 but leaves the outer end thereof exposed, as shown'in Fig. 1

Theterminals 8 and 9 are reversely disposed so that their outer or free' ends form lnwardly-projecting spring-arms, which are of substantially equal length and formed hereinafter described. The inner or ed end of the terminal 8 is made of suitable length to cross the hole 4 and'engage with the mner-end of. the contact-post or screw 5, it

being provided with a threaded aperture for that purpose. The terminal 9 has conductive connection with the shell or sleeve 14, due to the passing of the screw 11 through an a erture in'the metallic bracket 16 se-v cure to said shell or sleeve; and the screw 1 10, which secures the terminal S'to the base, is insulated from said shell orisleeve by insulating cement, which is deposited in the socket 12 on top of the screw-head, as at 17,

thus preventing a short-circuitin of the current. A removal of this cement tom the top of the screw may be effected by the insertion of a suitable loosening instrument within the cut-away portion 14 at the base of said shell or sleeve.

18 representsa cap which is made of porce lain or other suitable nonconduoting or insulating material and formed with a central opening or passage 19 through which pass the wires 20 and 21, leading to the lamp, fan or other attached apparatus,said passage being enlarged at its inner portion for the reception of a suitable knot made in the lead-wires to prevent their withdrawal from the ca should they become loosened from their indingposts. 1

The inner portion of the cap is formed with a circular cavity having the deeper segmental recesses 22, 22, within which are mounted the binding-post plates 23 and 24, each carry,

ing at one end a binding-screw 25, and being secured to, the cap by the screws 26. The ends of the plates opposite to those carrying the screws-25 are returned to constituteupon the wall, ceiling or fioor so that the eX- posed or outer end of the contact-post or screw 5 and the screw shell or sleeve 14 have contact with the proper terminals of the maincireuit wires leading to said sockets, the circuit may be completed to the fan, motor or lamp by placing the cap 18, having the circuit wires 20 and 21 attached to the respective contact-plates 23 and 24 by the bindmgscrews 25, upon the rim of the base and turning it until the spring-arms of the contactplates 23 and 24 travel under the spring arms of the terminals 8 and 9 and their corresponding indentures or grooves interlock, t ms preventing an accidental disengagement of the two parts of the plug. 4

28, 28 are lugs extending slightly beyond the rim of the cap to aid in guiding the ca when it is being turned into its seat in th. base.

'29 represents an insulating strip or shield, which is disposed over the spring-contact tor minals 8 and 9 oi the base to act as a protection to the person screwing the plug into the socket. This strip is secured to the base by having its ends bent at right angles to its major portion and inserted between the looped ends of said terminals and the wall of the base cavity 2.

It will be obvious that my crmstruction provides a simple and improved form of separable attacl'nnent plug, which has its parts so assembled that danger of short-circuiting is reduced to a minimum, nd which is adapted to have its cap and base easily and quickly engaged or disengaged for the urpose oi making or breaking a circuit with the attached apparatus.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s,

1. A separable attachment-plu comprisas described and for the purpose specified.

2. A separable attachment-plu comprising a base of insulating materiaf having a recessed end and provided with a central aperture and side apertures, screws passed through each of said apertures, o positelydis osed U-shaped contact termina s secured wit iin the recess by the screws passing through said side apertures, said terminals having their arms disposed inwardl and one having its inner arm prolonged an( engaged y the screw in the central aperture, an insuatin shield disposed over the contact termina s, a cap of insulating material having a central lead-wire passage and a recessed end provided in its bottom with opposite segmental recesses, binding-post lates secured within said segmental recesses y screws and each having an end turned back to form a contact terminal for passing to the rear of and locking with the free arm of one of the base terminals whereby to retain the base and cap together and form a circuit, said insulating shield being prevented from removal by the clamping together of the cap and base, substantially as and i or the purpose described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

OWEN E. KENNEY. Witnesses:

i HAZEL B. HIETT,

WILBER A. OWEN. 

